‘Anora,’ ‘I Saw the TV Glow’ lead 40th Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations
Film Independent Spirit Awards
The nominations for the 40th Film Independent Spirit Awards were announced on Wednesday, unveiling that Anora and I Saw the TV Glow lead the pack with six nominations each.
Cannes Palme d’Or winner Anora and the A24 pic I Saw the TV Glow are nominated for Best Feature, along with Nickel Boys, Sing Sing and The Substance.
Anora also picked up a Best Lead Performance nomination for Mikey Madison, Best Supporting Performance nominations for Yuri Borisov and Karren Karagulian, a Best Director nomination for Sean Baker and recognition for the Producers Award.
The gender-neutral Best Lead Performance category is stacked, with Amy Adams, Ryan Destiny, Colman Domingo, Keith Kupferer, Demi Moore, Hunter Schafer, Justice Smith, June Squibb and Sebastian Stan picking up nominations for the award.
The Independent Spirit Awards will take place on Feb. 22 in Santa Monica, California. Aidy Bryant returns to host the event, which will stream live on IMDb and YouTube.
Fans will get a double dose of Sam Heughan Friday night. Right after Outlander’s season 7 finale airs on Starz, Heughan’s new show, The Couple Next Door, debuts its first episode on the channel.
Heughan stars as Danny, a husband with secrets, in the steamy relationship drama about two married couples who become entangled in each others’ suburban lives. While many fans would argue Heughan’s Outlander character Jamie Fraser is the perfect man, the Scottish actor tells ABC Audio it was refreshing to play a man with flaws in The Couple Next Door.
“I think it’s actually somehow more interesting,” he says. “Jamie Fraser always knows what to do in most situations. And that’s a great character to play. But it’s really interesting to play someone who’s maybe more morally ambiguous and makes bad decisions. Perhaps too many of them.”
Danny and his wife, Becka, played by Jessica De Gouw, are at a “crisis point” in their relationship just as a beautiful couple – played by Eleanor Tomlinson and Alfred Enoch – move in next door, making their lives all the more complicated.
“It’s make or break for them, I think,” Heughan says. “And this new couple coming in obviously is refreshing and new energy and new life and they welcome them into it. But it also has obviously big consequences.”
The Couple Next Door airs on Starz Fridays at 9 p.m. ET.
Noah Centineo is back with more action and comedy on season 2 of The Recruit.
In the Netflix drama, Centineo stars as rookie CIA lawyer Owen Hendricks, whose life is upended when an Eastern European asset threatens extortion. As the connection to the CIA comes to light, Hendricks is drawn into dangerous international politics, risking everything to survive.
The first season, which premiered in 2022 with eight episodes, ended on a cliff-hanger with Hendricks and Max Meladze (Laura Haddock) captured and in serious danger.
Season 2, premiering Jan. 30, follows Hendricks as he takes on a high-stakes espionage mission in South Korea, only to discover that the greatest threat may come from within the CIA itself, according to a synopsis.
In an interview with Good Morning America ahead of the premiere, Centineo shared his experience balancing his roles as both actor and executive producer.
“There’s more of an obligation, I think, to really do your best to make sure other people are comfortable and they have what they need to do the job that they’re hired to do,” he said. “There’s a little bit more checking of responsibility in that regard.”
Centineo also discussed his experience filming in South Korea, noting that adjusting to the time difference was the biggest challenge.
“You know, developing or acclimating to the new time zone,” he said. “The crews there were incredible, young, spirited, hard working, you know, really willing to work. And that was great, because I had never filmed there before — the locations were gorgeous.”
He continued, “We just had so many signs and so many lights naturally that were built into the buildings, and then you just went down the street so that they reflected them, and it’s super cinematic. The food is incredible there. Yeah, I had a wonderful time in South Korea.”
Harrison Ford is coming back to the big screen, this time starring in the highly anticipated fourth Captain America film and making his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut.
“It’s a Marvel movie for God’s sake. And it’s got all of that smash and grab, running, jumping and falling down stuff,” the 82-year-old Captain America: Brave New World star told Good Morning America in a new interview. “Being in a Marvel film is a privilege. It’s an introduction to a whole new genre.”
The Hollywood legend is stepping into Thaddeus Ross’ shoes for the new movie — taking over for the late William Hurt, who played the political leader in five previous MCU films — which will see the character’s transformation from president of the United States into the long-awaited pseudo-villain Red Hulk.
“He’s complicated — he turns into a hulk on rare occasions,” Ford explained.
Brave New World will be the first movie in the franchise to feature Anthony Mackie as Cap, since his former character, the Falcon, finally took over from Steve Rogers — played by Chris Evans — in the series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier after the latter completed his final mission defeating Thanos in Avengers: Endgame.
Audiences have loved Ford for nearly half a century as Han Solo in Star Wars, and more recently in Shrinking, but despite his illustrious resume and opportunities to take a step back from the work, Ford said there’s more that keeps acting interesting.
“I find challenge,” he said. “I find new people to work with.”
Ford said that choosing a favorite role “would be like comparing your children one to the other” because “each film is a different opportunity.”
“It’s kind of a fantastic way to spend your life,” he said.
When reflecting on his career in its entirety, Ford said, “I see it out of the corner of my eye every once in a while. But I don’t reflect on it. I’m looking for something past that point.”
Although his latest onscreen persona may be bursting into hues of crimson, Ford said his favorite color is “green.”
Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.
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